156 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
to educational advancement both in medi¬ 
cal and domestic science. 
From a popular Florida booklet we 
read, “The high food and energy value of 
citrus fruits has been conclusively demon¬ 
strated by investigation of the United 
States Department of Agriculture, in bul¬ 
letins No. 28, office of Experiment Sta¬ 
tion, The Chemical Composition of Amer¬ 
ican Food Materials, and Farmers’ Bul¬ 
letin No. 142, The Principles of Nutrition 
and Nutritive Value of Food.” The re¬ 
sult of these investigations are given in 
detail, “It is clear from the findings which 
are summarized in these bulletins, that or¬ 
anges have a higher food value than beef 
juice, buttermilk, oatmeal gruel, or oys¬ 
ters, and that citrus fruits far exceed in 
units of food and energy value to the 
pound a number of commonly used vege¬ 
tables.” 
At the time this little treatise appeared, 
that king of Florida fruits, the grapefruit, 
had not been so thoroughly studied, hence 
it was not included in the above chart. 
Being a strong advocate of the grape¬ 
fruit, with firm faith in its wonderful pos¬ 
sibilities, I have left no stone unturned in 
my efforts to secure proof of its worthi¬ 
ness. 
The food and energy value of grapefruit 
is considered to be 5 per cent. It averages 
45 calories for every hundred gram 
weight. Half of a small grapefruit would 
/ 
give 35 calories. A medium size grape¬ 
fruit (one-half) would give 75 calories. 
These figures are taken from Lock and 
from Dr. White, of Boston, Mass., and 
are considered trustworthy. 
When we consider that the average 
weight of a small grapefruit is 15J 4 
ounces and a medium size grapefruit av¬ 
erages 22 .y 2 ounces, making a difference 
of 7 odd units of food and energy value, 
there is a reason for preferring the larger 
grapefruit. 
Since the system of arranging diet is 
based on such products as contain the 
proper units of energy and food value, 
known as calories, the above information 
is of special interest. 
Recent experience has proven beyond 
the slightest doubt the anxiety on the part 
of the consumer for greater information 
in regard to citrus fruits and their vari¬ 
ous uses. 
For an example of interest shown, one 
simple formula of Florida punch, created 
at the South Florida Fair during time of a 
citrus display, has been copied from black¬ 
boards in more than a hundred schools and 
colleges, being taken down in note books 
of at least twenty-five thousand girls and 
women. 
This formula is composed of grapefruit 
and orange juice, no sugar or water. The 
grapefruit juice serving as base and 
thirst-quenching qualities, while the or¬ 
ange furnishes the sugar. 
A prominent woman of the state of 
Maine, who spends her winters in Florida, 
expressed regret that she had not known 
while in Florida some of the very simple 
things worth knowing in regard to grape¬ 
fruit. 
One highly important fact to remember 
in connection with grapefruit is that the 
use of salt brings out the refreshing sweet¬ 
ness of the fruit, while the sugar has a 
tendency to bring out the bitter flavor. 
